A game apparatus is known in which, by connecting a plurality of controllers to one game apparatus, a plurality of players can play the same game while simultaneously viewing a common display. “Mario Party 4 Nintendo Official Guide Book” (first impression of the first edition, SHOGAKUKAN Inc., Jan. 1, 2003, page 54 to 69) discloses a number of mini games playable by a plurality of players simultaneously. For example, the game includes a game for causing a character operated by a player to swim faster to finish in first place, and a game for causing players to shoot balls towards a plurality of goals for the basketball to compete for the number of goals made by operating the respective controllers of a plurality of players.
A game for searching for items hidden in the map is also known. In “The Legend of ZELDA Dream Island DX Nintendo Official Guide Book”, (first impression of the first edition, Mar. 10, 1993 page 16 to 17), a player searches for various items hidden in the game field to proceed advantageously through the game, or to generate a successive event.
However, in the game described in the first reference, when the plurality of players simultaneously play the game, an emphasis of the game is placed on merely achieving a high score. Therefore, a player who becomes skilled in the game to be played has an advantage, while other players are forced to play an uninteresting game due to the differences in the levels of performance when playing the game with respect to the skilled player. Alternatively, in the game described in the second reference, one goal for obtaining the item is to proceed through the game with an advantage after obtaining it. Thus, even if the game is remade so as to be playable by a plurality of players, an enjoyable game in which a plurality of players hunt for treasure by searching for non-displayed items cannot readily be provided.
Therefore, it is a feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment to provide a novel game system playable by a plurality of players, a game apparatus, and a storage medium storing a game program.
Another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a game system playable by a plurality of players, a game apparatus, and a storage medium storing a game program that allows notification of the progress of the game by a sound when a plurality of players search for an invisible non-displayed item, thereby having an influence on the players.
Another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a game system playable by a plurality of players, a game apparatus, and a storage medium storing a game program, in which while a plurality of players play a game of searching for an invisible non-displayed item, by noting their closeness to the hiding place with a sound that another player can hear, the player whose game apparatus emits a sound can have an enjoyable feeling, knowing that he is about to obtain the non-displayed item, while the other players feel restless, knowing someone is about to obtain the non-displayed item, thereby heating up the game play.
A further feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a game system playable by a plurality of players, a game apparatus, and a storage medium storing a game program, in which the tone of the sound is rendered in common to the game apparatuses, which purposely makes it difficult to know which player is the closest to the hiding place of the non-displayed item (e.g., which player is about to obtain the non-displayed item), thus further instilling a restless feeling and heating up the game play.
Another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a game system playable by a plurality of players, a game apparatus, and a storage medium storing a game program, in which by changing an output sound depending on the distance between a non-displayed item and a player character, the sound gives a restless feeling or a sense of security caused by being aware of a delay, capable of increasing the enjoyment level and/or a sense of accomplishment.
A game system according to an exemplary illustrative embodiment is a game system playable by the plurality of players provided with a game console including a first display apparatus, and a plurality of hand-held game apparatuses including at least an operating means with which the player plays a game and a sound outputting means, and for searching for an invisible non-displayed item with a plurality of player characters simultaneously displayed. In the game system, the game console further includes a processing means, a first display means, a field generating means, a non-displayed item data storing means, a player position storing means, a distance calculating means, and an instructing means. The processing means performs a game processing in response to an input from the operating means of the plurality of hand-held game apparatuses. The first display means displays a result processed by the processing means as an image on the first display apparatus. The field generating means generates a game field where at least one non-displayed item is arranged. The non-displayed item data storing means stores at least a position of the non-displayed item in the game field. The player position storing means temporarily stores positions of the plurality of player characters in the game field that are operated by the plurality of operating means respectively. The distance calculating means calculates a distance between the non-displayed item and the player character on the basis of a position of the non-displayed item and a position of the player character. The instructing means instructs, when the position of the player character falls within a predetermined range from the position of the non-displayed item, the hand-held game apparatus operating the player character to emit at least one kind of notification sound on the basis of the distance obtained by the distance calculating means. Then, the sound outputting means of the hand-held game apparatus outputs the notification sound when receiving the instruction by the instructing means.
More specifically, the game system (10) includes one game console (12) and the plurality of hand-held game apparatuses (14) to be connected thereto. The game console includes the first display apparatus (26), and the hand-held game apparatus includes at least the operating means (28) with which the player plays the game, and the sound outputting means (30, 52). In the game system, the plurality of player characters (P1, P2, P3, P4) simultaneously displayed on the first display apparatus search for the invisible non-displayed items (116). The processing means (36) of the game console performs the game processing in response to the input by the operating means from the plurality of hand-held game apparatuses, and the first display means (36, 42) displays the result processed by the processing means as an image on the first display apparatus. The field generating means (36, 64, S5) generates the game field where at least one non-displayed item is an object to be sought is arranged. The non-displayed item data storing means (36, 90) stores at least the position of the non-displayed item in the game field. The player position storing means (36, 72, 86, S9) temporarily stores positions of the plurality of player characters in the game field that are operated by the plurality of operating means respectively. The distance calculating means (36, 74, S11) calculates the distance between the non-displayed item and the player character on the basis of the position of the non-displayed item and the position of the player character. The instructing means (36, 80, S15, S51, S53) instructs, when the position of the player character falls within the predetermined range from the position of the non-displayed item, the hand-held game apparatus that takes charge of the operation of the player character to emit at least one kind of notification sound on the basis of the distance obtained by the distance calculating means. In response thereto, the sound outputting means (46, 108, S73) of the hand-held game apparatus outputs the notification sound when receiving the instruction by the instructing means. Accordingly, depending on the distance between the player character and the non-displayed item, the notification sound can be output, and therefore, the progress of searching the non-displayed item for each player can be notified by sound thereby to exert an influence on the players. For example, the player who is notified can enjoy playing the game with a sense of superiority, while the other players have an irritated feeling. When one kind of common notification sound is output, the players have a more restless feeling because they do not easily know who is about to obtain the non-displayed item.
In one exemplary illustrative embodiment, the instructing means changes the notification sound to be emitted depending on the distance obtained by the distance calculating means. That is, the instructing means (S23, S25) changes the notification sound to be emitted depending on the distance between the player character and the non-displayed item, for example. Accordingly, notified by a different sound depending on the distance, the players who know the distance from the non-displayed item by the changes of the notification sound can alternate between enjoyment and frustration.
In one aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, the game console further includes a non-displayed item displaying means for displaying, after the non-displayed item is found, an image of the non-displayed item on the first display apparatus. That is, the non-displayed item displaying means (36, 42, 76, S27) of the game console displays, after the non-displayed item is found, an image of the non-displayed item on the first display apparatus, for example. Accordingly, as a result of playing the game with a restless feeling from the notification sound, the players can know which player is about to obtain the hidden item only when the hidden item is finally found or obtained, capable of bringing the end of the search to a climax.
In another exemplary illustrative embodiment, the non-displayed item data storing means (92) further stores type data of the non-displayed item. Accordingly, with reference to the attribute data, game processing according to the attribute of the obtained item is executed to thereby develop the game after the non-displayed item is obtained or found in various ways.
A game apparatus according to an exemplary illustrative embodiment is a game apparatus for searching an invisible non-displayed item with a plurality of player characters simultaneously displayed. The game apparatus includes a plurality of operating means, a sound outputting means, a processing means, a first display means, a field generating means, a non-displayed item data storing means, a player position storing means, a distance calculating means, and a notification sound generating means. The sound outputting means is provided to each of the plurality of operating means. The processing means performs a game processing in response to an input from the plurality of operating means. The first display means displays a result processed by the processing means as an image. The field generating means generates a game field where the at least one non-displayed item is arranged. The non-displayed item data storing means stores at least a position of the non-displayed item in the game field. The player position storing means temporarily stores positions of the plurality of player characters in the game field that are operated by the plurality of operating means respectively. The distance calculating means calculates a distance between the non-displayed item and the player character on the basis of a position of the non-displayed item and a position of the player character. The notification sound generating means generates, when the position of the player character falls within a predetermined range from the position of the non-displayed item, at least one kind of notification sound on the basis of the distance obtained by the distance calculating means. The sound outputting means of the operating means for operating the player character that exists within the predetermined range outputs the notification sound generated by the notification sound generating means.
In one exemplary illustrative embodiment, the notification sound generating means changes the notification sound depending on the distance obtained by the distance calculating means.
In one aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, a game apparatus further includes a non-displayed item displaying means for displaying, after the non-displayed item is found, an image of the non-displayed item on the first display means.
In another exemplary illustrative embodiment, the non-displayed item data storing means further stores type data of the non-displayed item.
A storage medium storing a game program according to an exemplary embodiment is a storage medium storing a game program that causes a game apparatus including a plurality of operating means, a sound outputting means provided to each of the plurality of operating means, a processing means for performing a game processing in response to an input from the plurality of operating means, and a first display means for displaying a result processed by the processing means as an image to function as a game apparatus for searching for an invisible non-displayed item with a plurality of player characters simultaneously displayed. The game program of the storage medium causes the computer of the processing means to execute a field generating step, a non-displayed item data storing step, a player position storing step, a distance calculating step, a notification sound generating step, and a sound outputting step. The field generating step generates a game field where at least one non-displayed item is arranged. The non-displayed item data storing step stores at least a position of the non-displayed item in the game field. The player position storing step temporarily stores positions of the plurality of player characters in the game field that are operated by the plurality of operating means. The distance calculating step calculates a distance between the non-displayed item and the player character on the basis of a position of the non-displayed item and a position of the player character. The notification sound generating step generates, when the position of the player character falls within a predetermined range from the position of the non-displayed item, at least one kind of notification sound on the basis of the distance obtained by the distance calculating step. The sound outputting step causes the sound outputting means of the operating means operating the player character that exists within the predetermined range to output the notification sound generated by the notification sound generating step.
In one exemplary illustrative embodiment, the notification sound generating step changes the notification sound depending on the distance obtained by the distance calculating step.
In one aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, the game program further includes a non-displayed item displaying step for displaying, after the non-displayed item is found, an image of the non-displayed item on the first display means.
In another exemplary illustrative embodiment, the non-displayed item data storing step further stores type data of the non-displayed item.
In the game apparatus and the storage medium storing the game program similar to the above-described exemplary illustrative game systems, the notification sound is output from the sound outputting means of the operating means depending on the distance between the player character and the non-displayed item, and therefore, the progress of the game for each player can be indicated by a sound, capable of exerting an influence on the players.
According to an exemplary illustrative embodiment, the notification sound is output as necessary from the operating means (hand-held game apparatus) depending on the distance between the player character and the non-displayed item, and therefore, the player who is notified can play the game with an enjoyable feeling, knowing that the player character operated by him is close to the non-displayed item. On the other hand, the other players, by hearing the notification sound, are informed that another player is about to obtain the non-displayed item, so they may become very frustrated. Therefore, it becomes possible to perform a heated search for the non-displayed item or hunt for treasure. If one kind of the notification sound is output, the notification sound has a tone commonly used for the respective player characters, and this makes it difficult for the players to know which player is about to obtain the non-displayed item. Therefore, the other players have a more restless feeling, capable of boosting the game play.
Furthermore, if a notification sound emitted from the operating means (e.g., a hand-held game apparatus) is changed depending on the distance between the player character and the non-displayed item, the player who is notified can know the extent to which his player object is close to the non-displayed item, while the other players can know whether another player is close to or far from the non-displayed item. Thus, the notification sound provides direction, allowing the players to alternate between enjoyment and frustration when searching the non-displayed item.
Furthermore, if the image of the non-displayed item is displayed after the non-displayed item is found, the players can know, as a result of playing the game with a restless feeling, which player is about to obtain the non-displayed item only when the non-displayed item is finally found or obtained, capable of bringing the end of the search to a climax.
In addition, if the type or the attribute of the non-displayed item is stored, the development of the game after the non-displayed item is obtained or found can be conceived in various ways, corresponding to the kind, etc., capable of providing a more interesting non-displayed item search game.